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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29592237">Hurt</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyKeira/pseuds/TheLadyKeira'>TheLadyKeira</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Freedom: A Destiel Remix [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angry Dean Winchester, Angst and Drama, Angst and Feels, Arguing, Awesome Charlie Bradbury, Castiel Does Not Understand Humans (Supernatural), Charlie Bradbury Lives, Confused Castiel (Supernatural), Dean Winchester Has a Sexuality Crisis, Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester Fight, Dean Winchester in Denial About Sexuality, Family Drama, Freaked Out Dean Winchester, Gay Panic, Gay Pride, Homophobia, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Other, Pre-Slash, Pride Parades</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:16:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29592237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyKeira/pseuds/TheLadyKeira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie had no intention of ever telling Dean about Castiel catching a glimpse of his first Pride parade when he flew in to pick her up to work the new case. Unfortunately, she failed to mention that to Castiel -  and when he tells Dean about the experience, the news hits the war room like an atom bomb.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel &amp; Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury &amp; Castiel, Charlie Bradbury &amp; Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester &amp; Sam Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Freedom: A Destiel Remix [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hurt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/DOOMCATS/gifts">DOOMCATS</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks so much to everyone who has been so encouraging about my first fanfic series! Every comment and kudos brightens my day. After a long writing career spent thinking that I'm terrible at writing fiction, I'm starting to believe that I may have been wrong about that.</p><p>Work title from the song <i>Hurt</i> by Nine Inch Nails, although even Trent Reznor says that the Johnny Cash version is better.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Where the hell have you guys been? I sent you to fly her back, Cas, not walk!” Dean exclaims indignantly as Castiel and Charlie walk into the war room. The table is covered with the detritus of a research project gone wrong. Piles of moldering books, at least three maps, a stack of parchment, dozens of paper balls, a sea of chewed on pens, two laptops, a half-dozen empty coffee cups and a rune-carved human skull with a candle melted on top of it vie for space.  </p><p>As Cas opens his mouth to reply, the train wreck that is about to happen springs to life in Charlie’s mind. <em> “ </em> <em> Oh </em> <em>  shit oh shit oh shit!”  </em>Charlie thinks, alarmed. Her butt clenches in that awful moment of panic that hits as you realize you’re in a slow-motion runup to disaster. </p><p><em> ** </em> <em> Record scratch </em> <em> ** </em> </p><p><em> I bet you’re wondering how we got here</em>, pops into Charlie’s head like it’s a John Hughes movie.  </p><p>But she’s not wondering how she got here. She knows. She should have talked to Castiel about how they could absolutely NOT tell Dean about picking her up at Pride on the walk to the war room. But no, her dumb ass was all “ooo- tell-me-about-your-wings-Castiel" nerd-dazzled by angelic flight, too geeked out to use her big frigging brain. </p><p>Charlie’s heart starts beating overtime, fight-or-flight instinct firmly set to “flight”. This morning’s mimosas threaten to make a reappearance. Metaphorical klaxons blare and emergency lights start spinning. <em> Red alert, red alert, battle stations, shields up, brace for impact... </em> </p><p>The worst movie trailer ever is now playing in her head on loop with awful clarity. Castiel is almost inevitably going to tell his best friend, the Narnia Hide-and-Seek All-Time Champion, all about his fascinating experiences at the Pride parade. That will immediately trigger Dean to pop off in a thermonuclear explosion of exaggerated redneck rage - and she has her suspicions why. But all she can do now is stand here and watch it happen.   </p><p>“Hello, Dean. I didn’t know I needed to fly Charlie to the war room from her room, she seemed capable of walking the distance. My apologies.” Cas tilts his head in confusion.  </p><p>“No dumbass, you’ve been gone for like an hour! What, did you ladies stop and get pedicures on the way? A little shopping? I wouldn’t have had you waste your mojo when you’re still recovering from that artifact thing if it wasn’t an emergency, Cas!” says an irritated Dean, pointing at Castiel for emphasis. </p><p><em> Okay, maybe </em><em>the Angel </em><em>isn’t going to dime me out.  </em> <em> I </em> <em> f I  </em> <em> can just push Dean a little further into Overprotective -</em><em>Not-My-Boyfriend-</em><em>Mode </em><em>on  </em> <em> Cas, </em>  <em> maybe </em><em>we can just breeze </em><em>through it </em> <em> ... </em>Charlie‘s so relieved. She puts her plan right into action. </p><p>“Castiel, you didn't tell me you were injured! What happened?” she calls out in her loudest fake shocked LARP voice, dramatically turning on the angel and folding her arms. </p><p>“It’s not of import, Charlie, but thank you for your concern.” says Castiel, ever polite. <em> Yes, this is going to </em><em>work </em> <em> ... </em>  </p><p>“Charlie was at a festival, and I took a moment to observe it. I’d never seen this holiday celebrated before but she kindly explained the significance of the occasion and informed me that LGBTQIA+ Pride is a relatively new holiday.” Cas stumbles a bit on the name, oblivious to Dean’s rapidly reddening face.  “It was very colorful. I was able to observe some of the customs...”  </p><p><em> Stand by for liftoff in  </em> <em> 3...2...1 </em> </p><p>“WHAT? What the actual fuck, Charlie?!? You took an Angel of the Lord to a Pride parade?” Dean explodes. “Jesus fucking Christ! What were you thinking? That is not cool, not okay!” He takes two steps toward her, gesticulating wildly.  </p><p><em> Ok, triage time.  </em> “Dean you sent him to pick me up, and that’s where I was. I told you that on the phone. It was completely  PG; we were in an alleyway away from the parade.  Don’t be  a dick.”   <em> Stay cool</em><em>, Charlie. </em> <em>  Who’s cool? Fonzie’s cool, be like Fonzie</em><em>. </em> </p><p>Just then Sam walks out from the library stacks, carrying another ancient piece of parchment. <em> Yes,  </em> <em> natural 20! A wild </em><em>distraction appears </em> <em> , perfect! </em> He makes a beeline for the group, half-waving when he spots Charlie and Castiel. “Hey Cas, Hey Charlie! So, get this I think I found - “ </p><p>The distraction fails. Dean interrupts Sam, incandescent with rage. “Oh *<em> I’m </em>* being a dick! There’re fucking demons running around doing who-the-fuck knows what because we can’t get the fucking map table to work, and you just had to flounce around your fucking Pride parade with an Angel of the Lord. Dammit Charlie!”  </p><p>The angry hunter takes a step back toward the table, bumps into a chair and kicks it over spitefully. “Did you bother to think at all? Like oh, I don’t know, maybe you shouldn’t fuck around because people are dying or maybe Cas doesn’t need to be exposed to that gay bullshit!”  </p><p>“What the fuck, Dean?” Sam yells, dropping the parchment and immediately rounding on his brother, face a mask of horror. “Are you serious?!” </p><p>“Yeah, what the fuck Dean?” Charlie echoes Sam’s tone. “It’s not like he showed up in the middle of an orgy. It’s a family event, Jesus. You’re blowing this way out of proportion!” <em> Come on, sell it... </em> </p><p>“Dean, I assure you, nothing untoward was occurring. There was no orgy, I’ve seen those in Rome, this was nothing like that.” Castiel says seriously, angelically oblivious to the subtext of the situation.  </p><p>“Nothing untoward was occurring my ass. It’s a fucking Pride parade, you know what that’s for, right Cas? Did Charlie explain that little tidbit to you?” Dean spits out, turning to the Angel. </p><p>“Yes, Dean, I did explain it to him. He asked! It’s not like I keep that shit a secret. What, do you think I corrupted your angel? Are you afraid he caught the gay cooties?!” Charlie says, unable to keep her snark in check any longer. </p><p>“Dean, give it a rest, man, we’ve got work to do. Have your aggressively heterosexual meltdown later.” Sam says sharply, reaching for his brother’s shoulder.  </p><p>“No, Sam, I can’t give it a rest.” Dean pulls away from Sam and rounds on Charlie again, tone acid. “What were you thinking, Charlie? Just because you’re gay and we’re cool with it doesn’t mean everyone wants to see that shit.” </p><p>Shocked silence freezes everyone in the room instantly as Dean’s lethal words ring out in the war room like gunshots, echoing off the concrete walls.  </p><p>Then several things happen all at once. Sam grabs Dean’s arm, yanking him backward hard. Dean tries to shake him off, but pissed-off Sam’s iron grip holds. He looks down at his older brother, jaw set and ready for a fight. </p><p>“If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Charlie says in a small, polite voice as she turns on her heel and speed walks toward the bedrooms. </p><p>Leaving Castiel to look back and forth between the brothers and Charlie’s rapidly retreating small form, gauging what remains of the battlefield. To his left, Sam and Dean are still tangled up. That situation is assuredly going to end in either verbal or physical combat, possibly both– and as neither of them appears to be cursed or possessed, that situation doesn’t require his intervention.  </p><p>However, Charlie appeared deeply disturbed by her argument with Dean. Castiel understands. Dean can be very cruel in the heat of the moment. But Dean loves Charlie and will be consumed by self-recrimination when his temper settles.  He would want someone to look after her while she’s upset.  </p><p>Plus, some things about this entire state of affairs just aren’t adding up. He's almost certainly missed some nuance of human behavior again. Deciding that his duty lies with Charlie, the Angel escapes the poisonous atmosphere in the war room and goes to comfort her in a susurrus of wings. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  </p>
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